Both, Edmonds and Sauers, maintain that they were not involved in a training session and that it was a workout with friends. The two define training as someone telling someone else what to do and said they barely even interacted. Sauers, who had recently transferred to the Penn Hills location from the Edgewood one, also pointed out that he, Mitchell and another friend worked out together in the same fashion the week before and were never approached by staff about complaints.
He and Edmonds said if there were complaints, which they have not seen proof of; management should have handled the situation better. The statement said that the group was contacted, but both say that it was only Mitchell who was contacted, even though they had Edmonds’ information from him signing in both days as Sauers’ guest.
“If you have kids and your kid brings someone home. You’re not gonna go (talk to someone else), you’re gonna talk to the person that brought them,” Sauers said.
He added, “If the staff would have communicated their issues that they had at the time, there would have been no situation. Being that they didn’t say anything the first day, didn’t say anything the second day, and then just reacted on it, it’s beyond me on how that’s appropriate.
“They make me believe now, and this is my personal belief, that Planet Fitness is a set up for people to go that really don’t want the push, but want to spend the money to make themselves (feel good about going to the gym), They don’t want to see people get better, they don’t want to push people. It’s easier to push yourself and get your goals with a friend and they’re telling us that you can’t work out with a friend, which I misunderstood if that is their policy, because at Planet Fitness in Edgewood we never had a problem.”
Sauers said he and Edmonds had worked out at the Edgewood location as well.
“To tell somebody that they’re really not allowed in their establishment because of their looks, no matter what their looks are, it’s just not right. That’s like telling someone they can’t go to the pool because they’re fat.”
Days after the incident, Planet Fitness in Penn Hills posted a statement on their Facebook page, Planet Fitness-Penn Hills, PA, about their policy prohibiting personal training instruction. It sparked comments from many.
James R Cain III posted “Motivation is feeding your clients pizza to keep them coming back because their ‘training Program’ isn’t working. The ‘complaint’ is BS. All they have to do is say that they can’t disclose the source of the complaint when in all reality the complaint was fabricated. This man inspires not instructs. Guess you’re not allowed to have a workout partner. Your spotter might be taken for an uncertified trainer. (peace sign emoji) deuces!”
And Christine A. Broderick posted, “I complained but not about that. I would have loved someone standing beside me motivating me to push it a little harder. I don’t care about the buff people there I aspire to that. The guy who owns the place needs a lesson in people management start there first he’s not very user friendly.”
Edmonds also took to Facebook and posted about the incident. Some commented that they would be cancelling their memberships.
While the statement from Brown said that all parties were welcome back, Edmonds and Sauers said they do not feel comfortable going back to another Planet Fitness location.
When asked if there was anything that Planet Fitness could do to make the situation better, Edmonds said no. “I’ll never feel comfortable going in a place that has that sign on top of the building.”
About Post Author
